Howard County officer indicted for assault

WASHINGTON – A Howard County officer has been indicted on an assault charge.

Howard County Police Chief William J. McMahon said in a statement on Friday that Lawrence Cameron Cook, a seven-year veteran, has been suspended with pay after the grand jury’s indictment, related to an off-duty incident in Columbia in March.

McMahon said in the statement that he would not comment on the details of the ongoing case, but said that his department had assisted in the investigation that led to the indictment, and that the department’s internal affairs division is conducting its own investigation into the incident.

“I want Howard County citizens to have confidence that our detectives conducted a thorough criminal investigation into the allegations,” McMahon said, adding that the department “has high expectations for our employees, both on-duty and off-duty. We are also an agency that believes strongly in transparency.”